Sheet metal cutting apparatus



Sept. 16, 1952 R. LE BRON ETAL 2,610,685

SHEET METAL CUTTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 15, 1947 2 Sl-IEETS-SHEET 1 hii' P l d. J-:

Sept. 16, 1952 LE BRON ETAL 2,610,685

SHEET METAL CUTTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 15, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2RODER/Of 45 8R0/V, lV/LL //7M 1?. 1156/1,

Patented Sept. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHEET METAL CUTTINGAPPARATUS- Roderick Le Bron and William It. Heck,

7 Omaha, Nebr.

Application Ma 15, 1947, Serial No. 768,770

movement within the slot of a slotted stationary cutter member so as tobe reciprocated through an eccentric mounting driven by a suitable ine-1 Claim. (Cl. 164-47) dium, such as an electric motor, portable electricdrill, or the like, the only supports for the reciprocable cutter memberbeing such eccentric mounting and the walls of such slot.

A further object of this invention is the pro vision of a sheet cuttingapparatus with its slotted horizontal stationary cutter member forming asupport for the sheet being cut ad-f jacent the lines of severance, andwith no member extending above such support except a portion of thecooperating reciprocable cutter member, whereby ample space is madeavailable adjacent the cutters and there is nothing to; limit thelateral extent of thesheet being cut or its travel to and from thecutters. A further object ofthis invention is the provision of a sheetcutting apparatus havingv a stationary cutter member slotted inwardlyfrom its front face and a reciprocable cutter member of slightly lesswidth than such slot arranged to effect a severance of the sheet at eachside wall of the 5101;, whereby a ribbon of severed material is removedfrom the sheet, which ribbon is curled beneath the stationary cutter andforwardly of the apparatus.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a sheet cuttingapparatus wherein the cutter members are accessible to permit readyremoval for sharpening or substitution by others having the same or adifferent effective cutting width, whereby the width of the ribbonsevered from the sheet may be varied at will.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will beapparent from the following detailed description and accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of non-limitative disclosure only, apresently preferred embodiment of the invention is set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of our improved sheetcutting apparatuscoupled for operation from the shaft of an electric motor, which ismounted on the same base member as the cutting apparatus. Figure 2 is avertical section through the shee cutting apparatus, taken substantiallyonline 2--2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the sheet cutting apparatus, with thefront cover plate re-' moved. 1

Figure 4 is a plan view of the sheet cutting ap'-. paratus, with partsbroken away.

' Figure 5 is a perspective view of the reciprocable cutter member, andFigure 6 is a perspective view of a sheet cut by our improved cuttingapparatus, the ribbon sevcred therefrom being rolled below the sheet.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral Ill designates thehousing for our improved sheet cutting apparatus, herein shown as acasting formed with a base H and legs l2 supporting a hollow casing l3adapted to en-' close the major portions of the moving elements of theapparatus. The casing I3 has integral side and back walls machined atthe top to r'e- 'ceive and position a centrally slottedbed plate I!upon'which is demountably secured the slotted stationary cutter memberl5. An elongated bearing member l6 extends rearwardly from'the lowerportion of casing I3 to support the enlarged central portion ofshaft-l1. While'riot herein shown, it will be understood thatappropriate linings, anti-friction rollers, etc., may be arrangedbetween the shaft I! and its bearing member [B as desired.

The forward extremity of shaft 11 is formed with an eccentriccylindrical projection l8 (Fig. 2) *encircled by a bushing l9 which inturn is encircled by the lower portion of a connecting rod 20demountably carrying in its upperportion the reciprocable cutting member2| As best shown in Figures 3 and 5, the lower portion of thereciprocable cutter member 2| is provided with spaced apertures adaptedto align with similarly spaced apertures in connectingfrodifl when thecutting member 2| is positioned within an elongated recess in the upperportion of the connecting rod. Bolts 22 are then passed through thealigned apertures and nuts 2! turned to firmly secure the cutter member2| in position.

The reciprocable cutter member 2| is provided with a head 2 la extendingforwardly of the body portion of the cutter member (Fig. 5) and the sideedges of the lower forward portion Zlb then below the upper surface ofthe stationary cutter member [5, the desired. cut in. the. sheet.material being obtained during the downward stroke of the inclinedcutting portion. 2,122..

The stationary cutter member I5 is firmlysegcured upon the bed plate [4,as. by screw. 2.4. (Fig. 4). and extends forwardly-of the bed plate. Theslot IS in cutter member is open at. the front end and overlies the slotin bed plate l4 3) which latter slot is preferably widened, attheibottomtofacilitate clearanceofthe. ribbon of material severedfromthe sheet. being cut- The side walls of slot l5 are preferably parallelthroughout; and the upper ed es of such side walls serve as; cuttingedges in conjunction with. the head 21* of the reciprocable.cuvttermember. The; width of head 2 l is only slightly; less than thedistance between the side, walls of slot l5 to enable lateral support ofhead 2! during its up stroke by suchsidewalls and clean paralIelcuts inthe sheet adjacent each. side wall during the downstrolgeh,Thisresultsin the severancefrom a sheet 25 of a ribbon 2.5? (Fig, 6.)substantially equaljnwidth to the-Width of. slotl 5% in the stationary;cutter member, The, inclined cutting portion: 2.I of the. reeiprocable,cutter member. progressively effects the severance. of ribbon 25fromsheet 25 during each downstroke, beginning at its lower, rearportion and moving towardrits higher, forward extremity, and also forcesthe severed ribbon 25 downwardly and forwardly to a position below bedplate 1.4 and in front of. the apparatus. As the sheet 2.5 is fedmanually to enable continued severance the ribbon 25 is curled below thesheet, substantially as shown in Figure 6.

A. front coverplate 2,6 is detachably mounted, as byscrews 21, overcasing l3. Whenthis cover-- plate: is removed, access is readilyafforded to bolts 2-2.securing the reciprocable cutter member 21-uponthe connecting rodlD. The cuttermemhere. [5 and llmay be quicklyremoved whenever desired, as for sharpening or replacement by anotherpair, which replacement may beformed to cut a ribbon of the same or a.different width.

As shown in Figure 1, our improved cutting apparatusis secured upon oneextremity of a base plate 28, as by bolts 29, which base plate alsosupports an electric motor 30, the shaft 3| of whichis directly coupledto shaft l1 of the cutting. apparatus, as through asuitablecoupling 32,However, many other arrangements for driving my improved cuttingapparatus are possible. The illustrated embodiment is one which can bepermanently mounted. in. the shop, orwhen equipped with a medium sizemotor may be carried in a vehicle and connected up at the job with asuitable source or current. It is not necessary to carry the motor 30along with the cutting apparatus if another suitable driving mechanismis available at the Job. It has been found that connection may bereadily made with the shaft of a portable electric drill and the cuttingapparatus adequately poweredthereby,

While the illustrated embodiment is believed to adequately disclose theconstruction and advantages of our improved sheet material cuttingapparatus, it. is to be understood that various changes andmodifications may be made therein without-departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Weclaimz.

Sheet metal cutting apparatus comprising a frame embodying a stationarycutter member having a slot therein open at its forward end, the marginsof said slot constitutingcutting edges, a reciprocable cutter memberincluding an actu: ating arm extending through said slot anda cutterhead at the extremity thereof having cutting edges inclined in an upwardand forward direction with respect to the edges of said, slot, the edgesof said cutter head. extending from a point within the body of saidactuating arm to a point beyond the. forwardside of: said actuating arm,the forward side, of said actuating arm being recessed inwardly toprovide an upwardly inclined portionrthe edges of whichintersect theinner; extremities of said. cutting edges. and. thereby form anotchwithin the. arm immediately below said cutting edges, whereby on;relative, movement of. said cutter, head; through. the-slot theribboncut from the. sheet. metalis, bent. forwardly on engagement, with;the base, of; said notch and deflected. into anexpanding spiral. mll asthe. cutting operation continues, and, a drive shaft rotatably mountedin said frame, the actuating arm at, a point remote fromthe cutter headbeing eccentrically mounted on such shaft to provide a stroke wherebysaid cutting edges. will sever. the work solely along said cuttingedges.

RODERICK. LE. BRON.v WILLI. AM. R. BECK.

REFEILENCES. CITED The following references are of record. in the fileof this patent:

UNITED. STATES PATENTS

